NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
With all due respect? I wouldn't hatch late in the year except by special order. As I stated previously I've had contacts for hens recently for what ever reason but I don't hatch late and am usually sold out by the end of spring with anything good. If I hatch with a broody later it's usually just mutts/ee crosses and I have no problem giving them away as chicks. If I have to raise out a pure she stays.

I don't have a huge barn so don't need more than 50 birds at any one time. I keep a mixed flock for aethetics but breed only three main breeds. Del, orps, br's. I have the occasional friz and I keep some ee's off a pure Lav amer. I will do the occasional trade with someone who I consider responsible in management. Pullet for pullet. But like I said I don't keep a huge flock of hens of any one breed so by this time of year I only have what I need for selling eggs and next years breeders. I don't like to keep one pullet of a breed. I'd rather keep two since they seem to pair off nicer that way.

I sell eggs too so I need to keep a certain amount of hens for that and of course in the winter they drop off some. Except for my Dels. They seem to carry on fairly nice.


Take care,
Rancher

Ok, I wasn't trying to be disrespectful, just offering some info on auctions for anyone that might be interested..and using "you" as in anyone, not you personally.

I knew you weren't. We're good.

 

[greymane]

Rancher, just curious what general area the auction was located. We just had one here last weekend and (as is typical in our "podunk" area) the prices are very low. I got two very nice Silkies and some Lady Amhersts, and paid less than $20 for the whole lot. As was mentioned earlier, a lot of the chickens (particularly RIRs and Red / Golden Comets) went for less than a dollar a piece.

That said, they had some great quilts and Amish furniture, lots of horses, and plenty of food (most of which I couldn't eat!)

 

[rancher hicks]

I dont' really think it would help to say where it was. I suppose it was my own fault since I thought things would have gone well and people might have recognized quality or rare birds. Most folks I guess don't really care that much what they buy. Had I known things would have gone so badly I would not have sent them. No sense crying over spilt milk.

I think as one gets closer to Syracuse perhaps showing might mean more.

On another note.

I've got the coupons for Purina feed. I did find one type, the Omega 3 feed, at Country Max, but have been having a hard time finding the "Flock" feed. I don't believe TSC carries it and Lees Feed here only carries Blue Seal feeds. Does anyone know who carries this brand other than the usual places?

Interesting enough the coupons are for $3 off but what I noticed is that the Omega 3 feed is $13.99 a bag but the weight is only 40#'s. I certainly hope the feed companies don't try to reduce the weight in a bag. One it will mean MORE bags and two it will mean MORE trips to the store. Something this old geezer doesn't need. Heck if I could get it delivered I would.

Is there anyone who knows the shelf life of feed? I like to stock up for the winter so I don't have to go out. I did contact Purina and hope you do the same. I just did this so I haven't heard back from them.


Take care,

Rancher

 

[happyhensny]

There is a feed mill near me, just outside Amsterdam, that I buy feed from. $9.50/50 lbs of layer, $10/50 lbs starter grower & $7 for 50 lb of cracked corn. All is locally grown and milled in Oneonta I believe. I just can't pay TSC prices. They are charging $15+ for layer. Aren't there any feed mills near you?

 

[ladylibra]

Quote:
I also get our layer, starter and scratch from a local mill.. almost same prices. I can't pay 16-17$ for 50# of feed these days. and its less processed and local, two things I support.

 

[meepitqueenie]

the hardware store 1 town over had purina and the tractor supply too. i tried switching to a cheaper feed but just didn't work for my birds.

so switched back to purina.

there is a coupon in the poultry press but have to buy 5-6 bags get one free.

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
I also get our layer, starter and scratch from a local mill.. almost same prices. I can't pay 16-17$ for 50# of feed these days. and its less processed and local, two things I support.

I don't know if we have a local mill nearby. That's one thing about being outside the city. $9.50 would be great. Most commercial feeds have the same ingredients. I once tore all the tags off all the different feeds and they're pretty much the same. I think I'll do a google search and see what I can find. Lafayette is the nearest that I know of and the extra cost in gas makes it prohibitive.

I did pick up a book at the Fair in the organic section and I wish there had been someone there but it is unattended. I'll get back to you. If I could find organic feed for the same as TSC I may go that road. I have raised my egg price up reflecting the feed prices, but I mainly just go 50 cents higher than Wegmans. They're up to $1.75.

Anyone getting more or less?

Anyone here get sales off of CL? I'm considering posting there and see what happens. I do donate the money to charity through my church so that does help. I don't have production birds so my eggs are usually just large. I do weigh them on occasion but I can pretty much tell a 2 oz. egg now.

 

[ladylibra]

Quote:
I also get our layer, starter and scratch from a local mill.. almost same prices. I can't pay 16-17$ for 50# of feed these days. and its less processed and local, two things I support.

I don't know if we have a local mill nearby. That's one thing about being outside the city. $9.50 would be great. Most commercial feeds have the same ingredients. I once tore all the tags off all the different feeds and they're pretty much the same. I think I'll do a google search and see what I can find. Lafayette is the nearest that I know of and the extra cost in gas makes it prohibitive.

I did pick up a book at the Fair in the organic section and I wish there had been someone there but it is unattended. I'll get back to you. If I could find organic feed for the same as TSC I may go that road. I have raised my egg price up reflecting the feed prices, but I mainly just go 50 cents higher than Wegmans. They're up to $1.75.

Anyone getting more or less?

Anyone here get sales off of CL? I'm considering posting there and see what happens. I do donate the money to charity through my church so that does help. I don't have production birds so my eggs are usually just large. I do weigh them on occasion but I can pretty much tell a 2 oz. egg now.

We're in Oneida and the feed mill Is over in Vernon.

 

[ladylibra]

Quote:
I don't know if we have a local mill nearby. That's one thing about being outside the city. $9.50 would be great. Most commercial feeds have the same ingredients. I once tore all the tags off all the different feeds and they're pretty much the same. I think I'll do a google search and see what I can find. Lafayette is the nearest that I know of and the extra cost in gas makes it prohibitive.

I did pick up a book at the Fair in the organic section and I wish there had been someone there but it is unattended. I'll get back to you. If I could find organic feed for the same as TSC I may go that road. I have raised my egg price up reflecting the feed prices, but I mainly just go 50 cents higher than Wegmans. They're up to $1.75.

Anyone getting more or less?

Anyone here get sales off of CL? I'm considering posting there and see what happens. I do donate the money to charity through my church so that does help. I don't have production birds so my eggs are usually just large. I do weigh them on occasion but I can pretty much tell a 2 oz. egg now.

We're in Oneida and the feed mill Is over in Vernon.

I don't sell my eggs but have gotten rid of a lot of my "extra" chicks and chickens through CL.

 

[happyhensny]

Quote:
I also get our layer, starter and scratch from a local mill.. almost same prices. I can't pay 16-17$ for 50# of feed these days. and its less processed and local, two things I support.

I don't know if we have a local mill nearby. That's one thing about being outside the city. $9.50 would be great. Most commercial feeds have the same ingredients. I once tore all the tags off all the different feeds and they're pretty much the same. I think I'll do a google search and see what I can find. Lafayette is the nearest that I know of and the extra cost in gas makes it prohibitive.

I did pick up a book at the Fair in the organic section and I wish there had been someone there but it is unattended. I'll get back to you. If I could find organic feed for the same as TSC I may go that road. I have raised my egg price up reflecting the feed prices, but I mainly just go 50 cents higher than Wegmans. They're up to $1.75.

Anyone getting more or less?

Anyone here get sales off of CL? I'm considering posting there and see what happens. I do donate the money to charity through my church so that does help. I don't have production birds so my eggs are usually just large. I do weigh them on occasion but I can pretty much tell a 2 oz. egg now.

A friend gave me this website to get some of your eggs sold. http://www.eggzy.net/ I NEVER have any extra on hand, was getting abour 2 - 2 1/2 doz a day. I am very fortunate that my neighbors love the eggs from my girls and are willing to pay $2.50/doz. Most of the eggs are Large or a little bigger but some are as small as medium. I have a couple of chicken owner friends that we have a car-pool feed buying thing. We each drive out to the mill once a month, so we each go about every 3-4 months. We need to take a truck and trailer for all the feed but 3 x's a year I can do.